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THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

(Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina)

For Immediate Release

July 30, 1999

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WITH
PRESIDENT JELAVIC, PRESIDENT IZETBEGOVIC AND PRESIDENT RADISIC

Zetra Stadium
Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina

9:42 A.M. (L)

THE PRESIDENT: Let me, first of all, say that I appreciate very
much the leadership of President Jelavic, President Izetbegovic, President
Radisic, and the other leaders here in putting together this Stability
Conference. It's a real tribute to the progress made in Bosnia-Herzegovina in
the last couple of years that they could host this conference. And I want to
emphasize that with all the work we still have to do here, there has been a
great deal of effort, thanks to the leaders, in increasing cooperation, in
political and economic ways -- the economy is beginning to grow briskly again.
And I am committed to doing what I can to see that the United States remains a
good partner, with this nation and with the European Union, in continuing to
work toward the future.

Secondly, I want to compliment the European Union in taking the
lead in our efforts here to do a Stability Pact for the Balkans, beginning in
Kosovo. Secretary Albright was in Kosovo yesterday, and we think things are
moving in the right direction there. And I want to reaffirm our commitment to
do our part there.

But I think the larger, important point to be made is,
we want to promote the integration of all the democracies within
the region, and then the integration of the region with Europe.
And anything I can do to assist that, I am prepared to do.

So I think this is a very important day, and I would
hope it is a very proud day for the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina
because of their hosting this meeting, and because of what it
means for the future.

Q Mr. President, I wonder if you would share some
thoughts about what happened in Atlanta, if you've been brought
up to speed, and what could have been done or should have been
done, and if there are any lessons to be learned from this?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think it's too soon to draw
conclusions about that. I watched the reports from home last
night on CNN for an hour before I went to bed, and I've gotten,
obviously, the final reports today. Our thoughts, today,
primarily are with the families of the victims, and with those
that are still struggling for their lives in the hospitals.

I am pleased with the work that the federal authorities
have done. The Vice President has been back home coordinating
that, and I think we have done a good job of working with the
state and local officials. But in terms of what could have,
should have been done, and what this means for other issues, I
think we have to wait until all the facts are in. I don't
believe I have enough to make a judgment on that.

Q As far as the situation in the Balkans is
concerned, there's been a lot of concern expressed about, here in
Bosnia, that it's been done the wrong way, and that
reconstruction in Kosovo, they should learn the lessons of what
the mistakes were in Bosnia and try not to repeat those mistakes
in Kosovo. What should have been done in Bosnia, and what should
be done in Kosovo, now, to make sure that those mistakes aren't
repeated?

THE PRESIDENT: If you ask these leaders, I'm sure they
would say we should do more and do it faster. But I want to say,
I believe that -- if you remember where we were in Bosnia. Keep
in mind, here, we had 250,000 people killed. You know, they've
done a remarkable, astonishing job of rebuilding Sarajevo. It
doesn't even look like the same place I visited two years ago.
And I compliment you.

But we had 250,000 people killed. We had 2.5 million
refugees. The conflict went on for more than four years. And in
the time since 1995, look at the level of cooperation here -- you
now have a common currency, we have other common institutions, we
have opposition political parties, we have, last year, very brisk
economic growth. We have a lot more to do. But I think the
people who are overly critical should come here and look and see.

In Kosovo, we were able to act more quickly because the
facts were different. And so I hope we'll be able to turn it
around more quickly. But I think the work being done by these
leaders in Bosnia shows us what can be done if we work together
and if the international community is properly supportive. And I
think the leadership, the initiative of the EU in setting up this
Stability Pact, is a good sign, and should be encouraging to
people.

Q Do you think General Wesley Clark was treated
properly in the way he was told about his early retirement?

THE PRESIDENT: I'm not sure what the facts are. I can
tell you this: Any inference that it amounts to an early
retirement or that somebody was disappointed in his performance
is just simply wrong, just flat out wrong. We actually extended
his term of service as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, and
asked him to serve another year.

And it's a very complicated challenge, as you implied
in your former question, for us to do the right thing, so we have
to get an equally strong person to come in behind him. And we
wanted General Ralston to go, and under the military rules, he
has to take up another post within 60 days of the termination of
his present post, or he would have to retire. So that in order
to have the right continuity, it has to be about a two-month
adjustment there. And that's all this is about.

I was, myself, a little distressed about the way it
broke, and how it did, because of the inference that many people
drew. But that is literally all there is to it. I think Wes
Clark's done a terrific job. As you know, I've known him for 30
years. I have great confidence in him, and his strength and
determination were very important to the outcome of what happened
not only in Kosovo, but earlier, his pivotal role in the peace
process coming in Bosnia.

So I don't think anyone should have any doubt about
that. So I'm disturbed about the way it became public. I don't
know that -- because I think it opens the way to an inference
that is absolutely false on my part. I have the highest regard
for him, but I want to make sure that when he's gone we have the
highest quality successor, and that's why I wanted Joe Ralston in
there.

That's all there is to this. It's just a question of
working out the transition within the rules of military
retirements and reassignments. That's all there is. There is
nothing else.